Ashes (CONTAINS IW SPOILERS)
by SRona58
Summary: INFINITY WAR SPOILERS! Don't read if you didn't see the movie! Just a one shot about the aftermath of the movie... Pepperony. Can't really post much more without giving it away. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

******WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!****** This is something I just needed to get out there ASAP. I've seen this movie three times. My heart still hurts. So...here's a guess for some Pepperony scenes in A4. The first chapter will be a recap and one ending, and then I will post another as an alternative ending at some point, as well...none of which will actually say HOW they beat Thanos, they will just focus on Tony getting that family with Pep. I'll post them separately, so you can choose. Enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own any characters or plot lines from Marvel. This is only for fun.

* * *

 _"Slow down, slow down!"_

 _"You're totally rambling..."_

 _"No, I'm not."_

 _I'm really not. She thinks I am. Maybe I am. I have an agenda, I just...haven't quite gotten there yet. I glance at the grass and scratch my neck as I catch my breath. Who's idea was it to go running again? Not mine._

 _She keeps walking anyway. "You lost me."_

 _"Look, you know how you have a dream...and in the dream you have to pee?" I ask, grabbing at the jacket around my shoulders._

 _"Yeah."_

 _"Okay. And then you're like, oh my God, there's no bathroom! What am I gonna do? Oh, someone's watching-"_

 _"Right, and then you wake up and realize you actually have to pee," she confirms._

 _Okay, so I'm not crazy._

 _"Yes."_

 _"Yeah, everybody has that," she agreed, now stopping to look at me...probably trying to figure out_

 _"Right!" Okay, maybe she's getting it. "That's the point I'm trying to make. Last night, I dreamt...we had a kid," I manage out. "It was so real. We named him after your eccentric uncle. Uh...what was his name?"_

 _"Right..." is all she says, but I can already see the exhaustion forming on her face._

 _We've talked about this before. Briefly. Not much. More like my fear of it. But I swear that dream was real...and I_ wasn't _scared. Weird, right? Yeah._

 _"Morgan?" I ask, continuing, despite her frown. "Morgan."_

 _"So you woke up...and thought...that we were..." she finally speaks, sighing._

 _"Expecting," I finish._

 _"Yeah..."_

 _Wait, did she just... "Yes?!"_

 _"No."_

 _Oh._ _"I had a dream about it, it was so real!"_

 _She shakes her head and unties my jacket from my shoulders to reveal the shining piece of tech on my chest. An implant? Not really. The arc has been gone for ages. This...is just a little something I stuck on there. It's not permanent...but it's necessary._

 _"If you wanted to have a kid, you wouldn't have done that..." she tells me, tapping on the reactor._

 _I blink, swallowing uncomfortably as I stammer for redemption._

 _"I'm glad you brought this up, cause it's just a housing unit for nanoparts," I try to ensure._

 _"It's not helping your case."_

 _"No, no, it's just an attachment, it's not an-"_

 _"Okay, you don't need that!" she groans._

 _And...now Pep's mad at me again. Yup, makes sense. This is how things usually go anymore._

 _"I know I had the surgery, I'm just trying to protect us. And...the future us's. And that's it. Just in case there's a monster in the closet, instead of, you know-"_

 _"Shirts?" she asks innocently, her blue eyes burning into mine._

 _"You know me so well..."_

 _"God..." she mutters, looking away for some sort of salvation, I guess._

 _"You finish all my sentences!" I add._

 _I'm not good with this relationship stuff, still. But I'm trying here. Come on, Pep._

 _She lets her shoulders drop. "You should have shirts in your closet..."_

 _"Yeah..." I mumble, but that's when it hits me...she's right; no more games with the super friends, no more_ putting _her in danger... "You know what there should be? No more surprises. We'll have a nice dinner, show off this ring's stone... We should have no more surprises, all right? I should promise you-"_

 _"Yes!" she agrees, her teeth showing in a wide grin when I mention the engagement ring._

 _And that's when I bring her in for a kiss. I can't resist her. I couldn't stand being without her, and now she's here...and that ring's been on her finger for months, now, I think, but I don't think I'll ever get sick of reading the tabloids or the headlines or just trying to make it obvious in public. Let them stare._

And that's when he had come. Strange. Well, and Banner. But Banner's cool, we're cool, so... Anyway, there they were...to summon me to this battle of death. This unfair, heartbreaking shit that I just had to witness. And I haven't spoken since. This blue robot chick got her ship back up and running. The suit's gone. I don't even feel the need to fix it, honestly. I just need to get back to Earth...back to...who the fuck knows anymore.

They're gone. They're all gone. Quill, the...weird gray dude and his insect girl. Strange. ...Peter.

Peter.

The kid.

He's just...gone.

He knew and he begged me and there was nothing I could do. Nothing to save him. Nothing to offer him peace or turn back time or fucking keep him on that damn planet. Not that it would have mattered. And it's all my fault, somehow, right? Even if it's not...I deserve it. Karma, I guess.

I sink my head into my hands as I sit on the floor of this dirty, beat up ship. He was right there. Right where I could touch him. In my arms, whole and alive and... The kid was fucking right there! And now...he's just...dust.

"Your friends will know how to help?" I hear suddenly, but don't look up; it's only me and her, anyway.

"If they're even alive," I manage, deciding not to even comment on the backstory between Cap and I...fuck, I'd hug the hell out of Steve Rogers right now if he was still alive.

Dried tears still stain my dirty face. I'm Tony Stark. Iron Man. I don't cry. But...oh, God. Parker didn't deserve this. None of them did. He was just a boy. Just a kid, who needed to do kid things, who needed to...have a life. And I should have protected him, but I didn't. I couldn't.

I slam my fist against the ground as I think about it.

 _"I don't want to go," he begged, slamming into me as I held him up with my battered body. "Please, Mr Stark, I don't want to go, I don't want to go..."_

 _"You're okay," I promised._

But he wasn't. He cried. Sobbed, really. And his eyes were...so lost. So clouded as he apologized. For what? For doing his best? For being braver than any other high school boy his age? Damnit, kid, you deserved so much better.

None of that mattered. The sides were chosen. And then he was gone, and I fell into that awful planet, and there was just...nothing.

"Approaching the atmosphere in eleven minutes," I heard her inform me, but I still don't lift my head...I can't.

What are we even going back to? A broken planet. Reminders of what was...of who was. What do I tell his aunt? Is his aunt even alive? Rhodey? Happy? _Pepper_?

God, Pepper.

I feel my eyes water again, as there are still somehow tears to cry. It's just all empty. All nothingness, no hope. No redemption from this. He did it...Thanos ended half of it, for good, and now that half is just going to be some damned memory or name written down or...just forgotten.

I forget to breathe but stay conscious as the ship finally enters Earth's atmosphere. Time stood still but flew by at the same time, and I lost all sense of it. We'd be down there soon, landing at the Avengers base...where I had Happy escort Pepper back to. Down on that solid ground that just lost half its hearts...half its souls...and they don't even know. All of those people...just...gone. And no one would ever understand what happened to them.

 _"Boss, incoming call from miss Potts," Friday's voice sounds, alerting me of her request as the doors lock me onto this flying donut._

 _"Tony?" I hear Pepper breathe in relief. "Oh my God, are you all right? What's going on?!"_

 _"Yeah, I'm fine," I tell her, trying to sound convincing. "I just, um...we might have to push our 8:30 res..."_

 _"Why?"_

 _"...cause...I'll probably...not make it back for a while," I tell her as the helmet retracts back into the nano tech and I glance around the ship._

 _And then it hurts. Her voice is heavy with sadness and worry and fear and..._

 _"Tell me you're not on that ship," she begs, and I can hear her tears forming._

 _"Yep."_

 _"God, no, please Tony..."_

 _"Honey," I try to comfort, but it doesn't work._

 _"...tell me you're not on that ship."_

 _She's crying now._

 _"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I don't know what to say. It's just-"_

 _"Come back here, Tony. I swear to God, come back_ now _-"_

 _She's no hearing me. "Pep?"_

 _"Boss, we're losing her!" Friday alerts me, but even her robotic entity is dissipating..._

 _I'm alone._

"We're here," the cool robotic voice alerts me, and it snaps me out of my memories.

This time I look up. I'm not sure what I'll find in her face. Care? Compassion? No, it's empty. This isn't her home. Quill and that Gamora chick I think she was called was her home. And now...we're both alone.

"Stick close..." I mumble as I push myself up and move swiftly by her to exit the ship.

My stomach is doing turns as we wander out onto the launch pad. The air is silent. No birds...no wind...just...stillness. No voices from the staff and no reporters. No hum of cars from the freeway nearby. It's like that show with the zombies and the death and the...

I push through the glass doors, which still open to my presence, so we still have the arc in tact. I haven't tried Friday yet; I just need to find Pepper. I limp toward the lab as I hold the frozen over wound in my abs, knowing Pep would've gone there in case of emergency, this Nebula thing not far behind. She's quiet...a little too quiet for comfort, but with such little noise being made since our arrival, I can pick out her metal footsteps.

"Pep?" I call out, my voice tired and my throat sore. "Happy?"

No answer.

We approach the entrance to the lab after navigating down the empty halls and that's when I see it; Happy's phone, buzzing across the floor as it rings with no answer.

"No," I feel myself whisper, picking up the pace to reach it. "No, no... _Hap_?!" I yell, looking at the screen...a missed call from a blocked number. "Happy, come on, buddy!"

My company makes a mechanical noise as she replaces a joint and it almost startles me, but I'm too frantic.

"He's gone," she says simply, looking around. "They all are."

I start to panic again. The familiar feeling of everything closing pushes out the sadness in me and I remember Peter fading away and Pepper begging me and...I can't breathe. I brace myself against the wall and panic, leaning my forehead against it for a moment. He can't be gone. He can't... It was suppose to be half! Not everyone I know!

"Pepper, honey?" I say, weary, and lift my head from the wall. "Pep, please, come on. Please, baby, answer me!"

Before I can stop myself I'm inside the lab, and it's...empty. No movement, but there is damage. Someone had called up a suit, and it's in pieces. A limb here or there, and some nuts and bolt scattered. The torso is destroyed in the corner near the vault. And next to it...her heel. Just one of them, but it's hers. The black stilettos "I" bought her for her birthday back before we were dating...she was wearing them for date night.

"Son of a bitch..." I let out, but it's not more than a whisper.

I'm not angry. I'm not afraid. It's just...sadness. I can't find it in me to yell. I've lost everything, and it's just so far beyond being _sad_ that I'm numb. Just a few days ago...she was here. I was here. We were going out for a walk. A typical morning.

Somehow I stumble over to the heel and collapse to my knees, clutching it in my hands. My eyes are watery again. I don't even feel them come, but the tears wet my cheeks as I stroke the black leather.

"Not you, Pep. Not you..."

I can't even recognize my own voice.

"We're supposed to have a family, Potts. A wedding. A kid..."

The robot tells me she's going to check the rest of the house, and I don't even care if she's out alone. She got me back here, she's trustworthy enough. But I know Pepper, and I know she wouldn't be dumb enough to stay out there once she figured out what was going on. No, she'd be right here, tracking my suit as soon as that call disconnected.

"I know you didn't believe me, but... God, Pepper, I'm so sorry. Fuck. I'm so sorry, honey. I should've come back. I should've...I should've listened, and..."

I lift my head and fight back the tears, looking at everything and anything that I can focus on. She's gone. He took her. He ruined everything.

A clank against metal snaps me back to reality and I whip my head around to the source of the sound. My breathing catches, and I shove myself back up onto my feet in pain. Then, the door to the filing cabinet opens, and my heart nearly hops out of my chest.

"Pepper," I exhale, and I've never been more relieved.

She's in defensive mode; the missing gauntlet from the suit is on her arm and it reminds me of the easy days...back when our biggest enemy was an ex boyfriend of hers. God, who would have known that would be the _easy_ period?! She has the repulsor up and loaded, just in case.

"Tony?" she whispers, her eyes wildly scanning me.

And then she powers down once she notices my gaping mouth and as soon as she does, I'm taking wide strides before pulling her roughly into my grasp, my arms encircling her body. My lips touch her neck and then my chin lands on her shoulder, my eyes shut tight. Fuck, I'm crying again. Shaking. Desperately clinging onto her...

"I love you so much," I manage, not caring how uncharacteristic it is of me. "Oh God, Pep, I thought you were gone. I thought..."

"Happy...he was there, and then he just wasn't, and..."

"I know," I try to console her, but it's not affecting my fear at all. "I know, babe, I know. I can explain but...I just...I just needed you, and... Fuck, Pepper, you scared the shit out of me."

"Me?!" she gasps, trying to pull back, but I don't let her. "Tony, you just took a ride on a _space ship_ and left me here!"

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Pepper."

I'm planting more kisses on her as my lips make their way up her neck and to her own, and then I'm kissing her desperately, only pulling back to speak.

"Where's Bruce?" she asks once I replace my head into the crook of her neck.

"They're gone, Pep..." I whisper, remembering the kid once again. "Peter's..."

"What do you mean gone?" she asks, and I can feel her heart stop, too. "Tony? Tony, what happened?!"

I realize I'm shaking and just bury my head deeper against her, breathing in her scent. Her familiar scent, the one that soothes me and makes everything okay. The one that stops the panicking...but not today.

She notices, and doesn't press on the matter. She's only seen me cry once; after the fight with Cap and Bucky. But this...I'm borderline inconsolable at the mention of his name as I let the water leak out, and soon I'm hiccuping and digging my nails into her soft skin.

"Okay," she breathes, her voice unsteady. "You're okay. We're okay."


	2. Chapter 2

Sometime after my tears subsided yet again that day and I manned the fuck up, I knew I had to explain everything to Pepper. To be honest, I don't even know how someone's supposed to start filling them in. It's not exactly normal to say a giant purple grape with a big chin snapped his fingers and killed fifty percent of the universe...but here we are.

Pepper got the text; _You still with us?_ it said. _Wakanda. Get here_. I guess that means Rhodey's still around, thank God.

She almost lost it when the robot thing came back to grab me; none of the Avengers were in the facility...probably all in that new tech city that wants to compete with Stark Industries. Now it doesn't really matter, does it? Pepper went into defense mode again with the arm to the suit, but I dismissed her once she released me.

"She's with us," I informed her quietly, the life drained from my voice.

Nebula kept her eyes on Pep but it was harmless.

"You're no threat to me, anyway," she hissed back.

On a normal day, I'd fight back in her honor, but today...I'm weak, and there's too much to process. Too much to figure out.

We boarded one of the jets left at the facility instead of her ship; easier to pinpoint the city on our radar. I'd never been, but since their recent opening to the public eye and their display of technology at the conference, I had Friday dig up some info on what they'd been hiding from the world. Anyway...the blue chick said she had piloting down since she didn't need sleep, so Pepper programmed Friday to alert us of absolutely any issues and then drug me to one of the quarters and into the small bunk bed against the wall. Remind me to issue bigger ones in the upgrade...especially if it would just be me and her from now on.

I've never been a cuddler...but today, I'm on my side and my arms are wound against her torso like we've switched our usual positions. My mind is numb. I can't sleep. I should but I can't. Parker's the only thing on my mind. Quill. Strange. Happy. Where are the others? What if Pepper goes when I _do_ fall asleep? My grip tightens on her at that thought, and she notices.

"Where did they all go, Tony?" she whispers finally, shutting her eyes as she anticipates the response.

I know I'm shaking as I remember it, but I can't stop. I'm focused on the wall...on anything but her, anything but those images in my head. Fighting back remaining water that's clouding my eyes.

"They're gone, Pep..." I whisper lighter than ever.

"You can bring them back...right?" she asks, and I hear a hint of fear on her voice more than before.

I swallow against her stomach. "I'm not sure. He...he just, decided it. He took them."

"Who?"

"Thanos," I answer with disgust. "He's the one who was behind New York, Pep. The aliens, the-"

"Nightmares," she corrects, and I shudder.

"Yeah."

"God, Tony..." she breathes and then she's rubbing my back with the arms that are enclosed around me.

"He got all six stones, Pep."

"Like the one on Vision?"

I close my eyes finally, trying to ignore the images flashing through my head. "All he had to do was snap his fingers, and half the world would die. Just like that."

"Happy..." she begins, piecing it together.

She must have seen him go. Must have been talking with him. He was probably helping her. And then...he was ash, right before her eyes, and she had no idea. I hold onto her, dirty nails digging into her skin and the wound on my cheekbone stinging as I squeeze my eyes closed harder. Breathe, Stark, breathe. She's here...

"He deserved so much better, Pepper..." I tell her as I bite the inside of my cheek and push down more tears. "He was just...there, and then he wasn't...and it was my job to protect him. My job to make him better, make him a hero...someone better than _me._ "

She kisses the top of my head but the fear is radiating from her...strong. She doesn't speak. She can't, because if she breaks down, I break down. That's how it's always been.

"You're right," I continue, thinking out loud. "About kids. I shouldn't have one. I shouldn't be trusted. I'll just fuck it all up anyway."

That hurts her, even though I don't mean it to, and she releases me suddenly, pushing me off of her. She isn't mad, but it's not gentle, either.

"Anthony Stark, don't you start!" she scolds, and I manage to prop myself up on my arm to meet her.

"It's true..." I mutter, and my free hand goes to my stomach, wincing in pain as the wound is stretched; sure, it's healed, but it isn't perfect yet.

Her face instantly softens, and I try to keep her from inspecting me, but before I can react, she's grabbed my grimy hands and pulled them aside, lifting what's left of my torn shirt to see the frozen over scar that's now permanent on my abs.

"Tony..." she gasps, her nails trailing the lifted skin. "You're hurt. What-"

"Pep, I love you, but you don't want to know, okay? I'm fine now. I will be. Physically, anyway..."

"What do you-"

"Strange made a trade. Me for the stone."

"Who?"

"The wizard," I sigh, pulling my shirt back down. "From the park."

Pepper's mouth is agape as she looks me over but she doesn't say anything more about it. Instead, she brushes at the wound on my cheek and frowns.

"Promise me you're staying here...with me," she begs. "Safe."

I let my eyes wander to hers and I know they're doing their own talking because she's closing hers in defeat and looking away again.

"I gotta fix this, Pep. I have to try," I tell her, my hand wandering to cup her cheek and let her know I'm going to do everything I can to put things back together.

"You could die, Tony!" she replies, raising her voice at me. "You could..."

I force a smile. "I know, babe. I thought I did, there, for a moment."

Her frown turns deeper and she looks at me with pain in her eyes, trying not to think of what situation I would have been in. I can't tell her. I can't even begin to try. What do I say? He used the suit against me? I tried to stab him and he got me instead? With the nano tech? Yeah, she won't let that one go.

"I was...stabbed..." I tell her carefully, not taking my eyes off of hers in attempt to comfort her.

"Tony!" she begins, but I talk over her.

"Pep, Pepper! Let me talk here, okay? Please..."

"Okay," she agrees finally, her voice softer. "Okay..."

I swallow nervously. "He was gonna kill me, Pep. And...it hurt. More than you can imagine. To the point where it was almost nonexistent. And...honey, I'm not saying this to scare you, but..." I'm fumbling for words. "It was you. And the kid. And _our_ kid...maybe. And that's all I could think about. I didn't know if I'd be coming back, babe. That was it...that was it for me. I should've died, but I didn't. And... Pepper, I swear, if I fix this, if I bring them back... That's it. No more suits. No more tech. We'll go to Rome. Or Paris...or...wherever you want to go. And we'll have our wedding and we'll have a family, and-"

Yeah, I'm rambling at this point, but I had no idea until she shuts me up but tugging me back to her with her lips against mine, roughly kissing me as though she'd never get to again. I can't blame her.

Before I can react, she's pulling me over her and her hands are roaming my shoulders before making their way down to the hem of my shirt, but this time, she isn't pulling it up to inspect my battle scars. No, this time, she's desperate, and emotional, and...this probably isn't a good idea.

"Pep, honey..." I manage as I break away from her, but her lips go directly to my jawline instead. "Pepper."

Tony Stark trying to avoid sex? Yeah, hell definitely did freeze over, but we already knew that, didn't we... But she isn't being rational, and I should sleep, and...

"I can't lose you, Tony," she says after a few more kisses, and then she's burying her face in the crook of my neck and I can tell she's softly trying to hide her crying.

I can't even tell her I'm here. I can't tell her it will be okay...because damnit, it won't be. It's all fucked up. Everything. Instead, I just lay her down and pull her into a tight hug, kissing her hair as she cries into me and clutches onto my shoulder.

"Just...don't go. Don't leave again. Or...take me with you. Anything. But you can't go, Stark. I need you here. I need you to raise our kids with me, not abandon us."

My heart stops at her words but I don't dare move her from my body. "You mean-"

"I changed my mind," she answers, her voice muffled. "You'll find him, Tony...the kid. I know you will. And I'm gonna help...and then you're retiring."

This is the first time I've even attempted to smile since everything happened. It's still not quite there, but she gives me something that I need...something to prepare myself for this last and final fight. Hope.

"And then we'll try?" I ask after a moment of quietness.

She nods against me, and that's the last that is spoken until we reach Wakanda.


	3. Chapter 3

I don't remember dozing off but I guess I do because eventually I wake to some turbulence. Pepper's not lying down with me anymore, but I feel her stroking my hair with her hand so I don't give off that I'm awake yet. She's seated on the mattress, my legs over her lap as she scrolls through her Stark phone. I've never been a side sleeper, but I guess I didn't move much since I knocked out.

"We're here," I hear after a few more moments of silence.

It's a cold voice. Monotone. Nebu-whatever, I guess. Maybe it wasn't just turbulence, but a landing that woke me.

"I'll wake him..." Pepper whispers, her voice still protective.

Then she's moving her hand from my hair and down my back, patting me a few times.

"Tony," she whispers, setting down her phone. "Tony, we're here."

"I heard," I mumble and continue staring at the empty doorway in front of me.

My eye stings...the cut on my cheekbone making it swell. The dried tears make my face stick to the pillow, but I pull it off anyway.

"How long have you been awake?" she asks quietly, squeezing my shoulder as I shove myself up into a sitting position.

"Just a few minutes..." I answer roughly and ruffle my hair.

I glance up at her with soft eyes as the weight of everything comes crashing back down on me. Who was left? When we walked off the jet, which of the heroes would be left? The villains? The civilians?

I must've frozen up because she rests her hand on my knee now that my legs have swung over the edge of the mattress and she's looking at me with pain in her eyes. But hey, I'm Iron Man. Gotta man up and be the sarcastic asshole they're all expecting, right? And...if not for me, then for my parents. This is it...the first time we'd meet again since Siberia. She knows it, too.

Pepper fakes a smile, then helps me stand and holds an arm around my waist as I rest my on over her shoulder. Nothing like Tony Stark once again behind escorted out of a jet, right? As if Afghanistan didn't do enough damage...maybe I should've just died there.

And then we're stepping off. I expected a greeting. Or a welcoming party or even security? But nothing. The air is still here, too. It's cloudy. There's no congo line or margarita bar or...whatever the fuck these people do here. Uh, wait, wrong continent, huh?

"Where is everyone?" Pepper wonders aloud, keeping me steady as we come to a stop.

"Gone. Just like the rest," Nebula answers cooly...damn, this chick's got some pent up anger...

Then, we're finally greeted by a voice from the side of the ship that I've wanted to hear more than anything.

"Not all of us."

"Rhodey," Pepper exhales in relief as he rounds the corner in the War Machine suit.

They hug awkwardly as she supports me and then he's taking me in, too.

"You look like hell, buddy," he comments, trying to lighten the mood.

"Never better," I disagree sarcastically and advert his gaze.

"Take us to the others," the robot chick interrupts and struts past us, shoving me in the process.

Rhodey stares after her with his brow ruffled but follows; she doesn't need much showing, rather than an escort so they let her in, I guess.

"Who's the blue girl?" he whispers to Pepper and her lips press together in silent judgement as we proceed after her.

Eventually, we make it down some kind of shuttle and into an underground area that reminds me of the lab at the base, but much more high tech. I guess that's Vibranium for ya... The silence isn't comforting, but it's necessary as I take everything in, mirroring the look of awe also on Pepper's face.

When we do make it down, there's light chatter, and when the doors open to the space, they reveal a set that I swear is right out of Star Wars; a hologram display, much more in depth than Jarvis or Friday could've ever created, is in the air, with whoever's left of the super group huddling around it. Probably their next in depth plan at saving the world, after the first few failed. When we step out, all heads snap our way and I start to panic about who is going to make the first move.

"Look who I found," Rhodey pipes up after an awkward silence spreads around the room and Pepper fakes another smile to thank him for breaking the ice.

"Tony!" I hear Widow say, and then she's stepping out from behind the display with shock plastered over her features.

She approaches us and swiftly takes me into a hug, despite Pepper's grip on my waist.

"It's so good to see you," she tells me against my shoulder, but I know she's really just admitting it's nice to know I didn't turn to dust.

"Bruce!" I hear Pepper celebrate before Widow releases me.

So, Banner's alive. Good.

"Where's the kid?" he asks gently, looking at me after waving awkwardly from the corner.

I blink and avoid his eyes, staring hardly at the windows of the room instead, admiring their purple glow as I try not to think about it.

 _"You're all right."_

 _"Please, Mr Stark...I don't wanna go..."_

Pepper's voice brings me back to reality. "Tony!"

Did I really space out? Probably. I just can't get his voice out of my head.

"You sure you're up for this?" Rhodey asks from my side, but what choice do I have?

I detach myself from Pepper and hobble over to the rest, analyzing the data on the boards instead. "Someone fill me in," I request.

Instead, the doors we just walked through open again, and in walks my worst nightmare. I whip my head around at the sound of footsteps and swallow hard, trying to remind myself to breathe. Don't think about your parents, Stark. Don't.

"Nebula?" a grouchy voice asks with uncertainty, and that's definitely not his.

Nope, it's a small rodent, walking and talking at his side. I blink, eyes wide, making sure I'm not imaging things. The raccoon has his own suit, and he's approaching the robot that came with us with hope in his eyes.

"You're still alive! Where's Quill?"

She looks away, and it's clear he knows because his tail and head both droop at the same time and he shakes his head.

 _"Steady, Quill," I warn as he feels it start._

 _"Oh, man..."_

"It was a long shot, anyway..." the raccoon replies sadly and then disappears under our feet somewhere.

And now I'm left with...

"Tony."

It was more of a statement than a question. An awkward observation.

His hands are in his pockets when I look at him, the sleeves on his suit rolled up as they always used to be. He's scruffy now, more so than I am...it reminds me of Thor, who is thankfully also with us here, sitting silent against the wall on the floor. His eyes are painfully wanting to say more, but what else is there to say, really? It's been a few years. And my anger has not faded in the slightest...but things change, I guess, in war. He knows that better than anyone.

"Cap," I finally comment back.

Neither one of us, or anyone, for that matter, moves, and we hold each other's gaze for another few seconds before he decides to make the first move and steps heavily toward the displays and myself. His hand reaches my shoulder, patting it once before trailing off as he steps around to the other side of the display.

"Glad to have you with us," he concludes, and that's that.

What, you want some big super brothers reunion? A big hug or a knockout fight? Not gonna happen. Not here. Things are still not okay, even if we pretend they are. But this...this is as close to the end of the world as we've gotten, so there's no time for arguing. We're at truce, for now. Unspoken, but obvious.

Pepper finally steps in, realizing my inner debacle, and takes my hand in hers, squeezing. She loops herself around my torso again, free hand resting over the arc piece as she lays her head on my shoulder for comfort. She must know it's working, because when I exhale slowly and relax my shoulders, she squeezes my hand again.

Widow pulls us all out of our trance as she suddenly steps toward the display, pulling up a particular point on what looks like a map of New York City.

"We've got movement in the lower quadrant," she announces, tapping away and pulling up stats.

My brain is too tired to keep up, though I'm trying. Imagine that, the great Tony Stark not able to focus on codes and science and plans...

"Another invasion?" Rogers asks plainly, his thumbs now looped in his pants in his typical resting Cap stance.

"No," she disagrees, continuing her research somehow. "This one's...friendly."

"I'm sorry, are we all just going to ignore the fact that the raccoon just spoke?" I finally interrupt, my head spinning.

No one answers, though, and I only get a hiss from the little fury creature somewhere near me until Widow speaks up again.

"Watch who you're callin' a raccoon, tough guy!" he spits.

"He did it," Nat breathes, only it isn't the usual 'Thanos did it, he killed everyone' that was becoming all too familiar; it was hopeful.

"Did what?" Sam asks, pushing himself from the wall he was leaning against with Thor.

She looks around wildly. "Fury summoned her. We have help."

" _Her_?" I repeat.

A smile slightly forms at her lips as she meets Cap's similar expression, and apparently it's a SHIELD thing, because they both seem to know.

"Captain Marvel," he confirms.


End file.
